Klaus Nomi

One of the first prominent persons to die of AIDS, Klaus Nomi mixed rock and disco stylings with a classical and operatic repertoire. He was born Klaus Sperber in Berlin in 1945, but moved to New York in the mid-'70s, working as a pastry chef and nightclub singer. One of his sets impressed David Bowie, and Nomi soon found himself backing the star on Saturday Night Live. His first single was a cover of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love." He died on August 6, 1983, after which several compilations plus a recording of a live date in America were released. ~ John Bush